FishTank

No to the rods and as far as reels go, it would depend on which one it is. If it is something that I know I could get parts for, then I would consider it. I also don't consider the outside condition a big deal, if the inside is well taken care of. Another thing to consider is if you look for sales of older models when they get discontinued, I often find great deals that are better than what I can find used ebay >for instance I got a new Revo Toro Beast for $200 back in April.

I have been using a 7'2'' M Mod. St. Croix Legend Glass since the beginning of this year and so far it has been the best cranking rod I have ever used. I have paired it with a Curado DC. I can bomb a 3/8oz crankbait a mile with this thing. It loads perfectly. It also has the correct balance of softness and backbone you want in a crankbait rod and a little bit, but not too much, of that just right sensitivity. I can't recommend this set up enough.

I actually think this is a win, win for both Lew's and KVD.

I would agree. Braid is just another tool. I use it for top water and in thick coverage. I use some mono but 12lb FC is my go to line.

I have the 783C GLX, 844C GLX and the 844C IMX. The 783C GLX is one the most versatile rods I have. There's pretty much nothing it can't handle. I have used it for soft plastic, jigs, spinner baits, and jerk baits.

For me, it's just personal preference. I would fish with what you are comfortable with. There are so many choices....Each company out there makes at least one or two good reels and a few duds. My personal favorites in are (in order) Shimano, Daiwa and Abu Garcia.

I have tried several different FC's over the years and so far Tatsu has been the best. The high cost has made it hard to purchase on a consistent basis. I have been using Invizx instead with zero issues. I also like Sunline Sniper and Shooter but have had a spool or two give me issues. Another I like for spinning gear is Trilene XL 100% FC.

I am going rod first on this one..... The rod to me does what matters most, communicate. It tells me what's going under the water, it detects the bite, it sets the hook, and controls the fish. The reel only has two functions that it needs to do> cast and retrieve. If a reel can do those two things well, cost/quality is not that important, especially with today's offerings. A $100 (or less) reel today is far better than what was out years ago. Of course, like Tom said, we need to know the OP's budget before making a true assessment.

I think this rod was designed to be a general purpose rod. I would check on the price though. I have seen these for around $100 on Amazon.

I use to do this when I was kid and from what I can remember I never had an issue with it. Back then the fancier knots were what the fly fisherman tied.

As of right now.....12lb CXX for me but as stated above Big Game is pretty awesome for topwater. Overall it's cheap and tough.

Same as above.... If it floats or I want to rip it out some heavy cabbage..... I use braid but this is not a 100% thing for me. I am not a huge fan of braid but it does have it's purpose. My over all general use line is 12lb Seaguar Invizx. For Mono I like Sunline Natural or I will use P-Line CXX (co-poly). I have been using the Seaguar Invizx on my Curado K and DC with no issues.

I have been using both...... Sniper I like but not for spinning gear. Overall for FC, I like Invizx better for bait casters and Trilene 100% FC for spinning gear. If you want to go all out, IMHO, Tatsu is the best I have ever fished. Stuff last forever. Sunline Super Natural has also been great line for me. I have been using it in 8lb and 10lb. It last as long as most mono but I would buy one line weight heavier than what the box says (if want 8lb get 10lb instead).

Definitely. I was at Monroe two weeks ago and there is a spot I always love that is off shore where there is a 8-12 foot hump. Its pretty much awesome most of the year. In spring it's filled with fish but right now with the water low the weeds are impossible to cast through and even worse to get a boat in to that spot.

For me, I like to use a 7'2'' Med Mod with 12lb FC. Not a big fan of braid and crankbaits. On a side note, I always here the term "ripping through grass" when comes to lipless crankbaits and over the years I think I have changed that to "catching salad". I have never seen the point of ripping a bait through weeds. You always end up disturbing a spot by pulling in more weeds than fish. I tend to prefer other techniques (heavy jigs, punching weighted creatures, etc.) when it comes to fishing in heavy weeds.

It does seem odd that they don't offer a 6'6'' ML X-fast but it also seems weird that they have a 6'3" and a 6'9'' ML X-fast. I have several St. Croix rods and I believe the Avid is the best bang for the buck rod they have..... So I don't think you could go wrong with either length. I guess it would depend on the intended purpose.

Same here. It seems to be limp and casts well. My only issues has been break offs. Not sure why but it will get a weak point in the line and snap on a cast. I have tried multiple spools in different poundages over the years and if I don't pay attention to the first 10 feet, I notice that it starts fraying faster than other FC I have tried. Still good line though.

Great picks. Beware of the Baitmonkey. Before you know it you will have more equipment than you can ever fish.

There really isn't anything to compare to the old Curado B. It was a great reel on it's own and there isn't much out that feels, at least to me, the same in hand. If was going to replace it, I might just go ahead and get the new Curado K or the Curado DC. The DC is just slightly smaller. Both reels are fantastic.

6lb or 8lb Trilene XL 100% FC. I have tried braid multiple times and found that unless I am fishing topwater, I prefer something else. Too many line twists and over all, it's just frustrating at times Another suggestion would be 8lb P-Line Fluoroclear.

You can usually find a Dobyn's Fury for around $100. I have only handled it in stores but I would say it is definitely a quality rod for the money.

I would go with a Shimano Sahara. Just a great reel.

Great reel. If the price is right, i would not hesitate.

I bought a new F-150 this year and love it so far. When I was looking, I asked a group of mechanic friends (6 total) which truck I should buy and they all said the Tundra but if I was going to buy something else, they all said the V-8 F-150. This was followed by the any of the Chevy's. I then asked what not to buy and all said the Titan. In their opinion, it is the worst truck made in a decade> Impossible to work on and worst transmission ever. They mentioned the turbos would be an area of concern with the Fords and Honda Ridgeline was not much of a truck compared to the cost. I asked at about the Dodge's and they said they are iffy. You can get a good one if it doesn't rust or you can get one with loads of problems (electrical, engine, and transmission).

Well for me, I have an old rule of thumb, its just an opinion and it works> sometimes....... July and August the fish are in two places, small ones are shallow and the big ones are in deeper, cooler water but somewhat further away from the bank. The bite is slow and fish tend to nibble. The usual single hook baits (most soft plastic and regular jigs, etc) are often pointless when the fish are not biting or striking. So what is my go to..... Deep suspending jerkbaits. I fish them slow and I make sure to pause for a few seconds. I go for the darkest spots in the water I can find. My next go to is a swim jig with a zoom chunk trailer or a 6-10 foot depth crank bait. This guy usually has some good tips..... I caught this one and 6 smaller ones last Saturday on a Megabass Live-X Leviathan.